Flexible, stackable container and method and system for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A flexible, stackable container for storing a quantity of a product may include a sealed package formed from a single sheet of film and retaining the quantity of the product disposed therein, and a lid fitment attached to a first side of the package. The first side of the package may have an outer first surface of the film and outwardly extending first corner seals formed in the film at the edges of the first side and surrounding the first side of the package. The package may also have a second side disposed opposite the first side and outwardly extending second corner seals formed in the film at the edges of the second side and surrounding the second side of the package.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A packaging machine for manufacturing a flexible, stackable package formed from web of flexible material, each flexible material having a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to a direction of a transport path of the flexible material through the packaging machine, wherein a leading edge of one flexible material is adjacent to a trailing edge of a preceding flexible material, the packaging machine comprising:
 a forming tube; 
 a forming shoulder disposed upstream of the forming tube to form the flexible material around the forming tube such that oppositely disposed lateral edges of the flexible material are adjacent to each other; 
 a sealing station comprising:
 first and second engagement bars oriented transverse to the transport path, and 
 engagement bar actuators that actuate the first and second engagement bars in a direction transverse to the transport path to a first position in which the first and second engagement bars engage the leading edge of the flexible material and the trailing edge of the preceding flexible material to form a combination leading seal and trailing seal, wherein the combination leading seal and trailing seal extends in a plane substantially parallel to the transport path; 
 
 a separator for separating the combined leading and trailing seal; 
 first and second tuck bars disposed upstream of the first and second engagement bars, wherein the first and second tuck bars are configured to actuate in a direction transverse to the transport path to engage a portion of the flexible material and tuck the portion of the flexible material inward; 
 one or more flap stations positioned downstream of the sealing station and comprising:
 at least one first flap engagement portion that actuates in a direction transverse to the transport path and towards the leading seal to fold the leading seal such that it is disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path and the leading seal remains disposed in the plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path after the leading seal is transported downstream of the one or more flap stations, and 
 at least one second flap engagement portion that actuates in a direction transverse to the transport path and towards the trailing seal to fold the trailing seal such that it is disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path and the trailing seal remains disposed in the plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path after the trailing seal is transported downstream of the one or more flap stations. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing station further comprises positioning devices and positioning device actuators to actuate the positioning devices in a direction transverse to the transport path to secure the flexible material in the sealing station. 
     
     
       3. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , further comprising third and fourth tuck bars disposed downstream of the first and second engagement bars and upstream of the flap station, and an actuator for actuating the third and fourth tuck bars in a direction transverse to the transport path to engage a portion of the flexible material and tuck the portion of the flexible material inward. 
     
     
       4. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a knife blade. 
     
     
       5. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a take away conveyor downstream of the one or more flap stations, wherein the packaging machine is configured to dispense a sealed flexible package from the one or more flap stations to the take away conveyor. 
     
     
       6. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first flap engagement portion is configured to attach the leading seal to a portion of the flexible material disposed in the plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path. 
     
     
       7. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second flap engagement portion is configured to attach the trailing seal to a portion of the flexible material disposed in the plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path. 
     
     
       8. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , wherein the flap station comprises a flap engagement bar comprising the at least one first flap engagement portion to fold the leading seal such that it is disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path, and the at least one second flap engagement portion to fold the trailing seal such that it is disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the transport path. 
     
     
       9. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more flap folding stations comprise a first flap folding station and a second flap folding station, wherein the first flap folding station comprises at least one first flap engagement bar comprising the at least one first flap engagement portion, and the second flap folding station comprises at least one flap engagement bar comprising the at least one second flap engagement portion. 
     
     
       10. The packaging machine of  claim 1 , wherein the forming tube comprises an aperture extending through the forming tube for receiving product to fill a package.